Watchman&#39;s time-recorder and signal.



No. 696,6l9. Patented Apr. 1, I902.

J. B. YEAKLE.

WATCHANS TIME RECORDER AND SIGNAL.

(Application filed D00. 10, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JAMES B. YEAKLE, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

WATCHMANS TIME-RECORDER AND SIGNAL.

SPEGIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,619, dated April. 1, 1 902.

Application filed December 10, 1900. berial No. 39,259. (No model) To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Janus l3. YEAKLE, a citizen or". the United States, and a resident of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in 'Watchmens Time-Recorders and Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of watchmens time-recording systems in which the watchman as he makes his rounds sends the signal from various stations over an electric circuit by operating a push-button or other suitable circuit-closing device, the operation of which'is recorded upon a suitable time disk or sheet operated by clockwork at the superintendents ofhce or at other desired location. In this system should the watchman neglect to visit a certain part of the building and operate the apparatus at the station there such neglect may not be detected until the record at the oflice is examined some hours later.

The object of the invention is to provide a means whereby any such failure or neglect may be immediately noticed or detected and the absence of the watchman promptly reported at the main supervisors oiiicesuch,i'orinstance, as the oiiice of a district burglar-alarm telegraph company-and whereby measures may then be taken to ascertain the cause of the watchmans failure to operate the apparatus at the station in the building where he is required to make his rounds.

My invention is especially useful in cases where it is desirable to provide special attention at some particular point of the building, and the in vention permits a strict surveillance of the watchmaus movements, such that any neglect will be promptly observed and the extra care required will be assured.

My invention consists, substantially, in the combination, with a watchmans time-recording system such as already described, of suitable means comprising an electric switch of any desired character whereby the circuitclosing devices at the signal-stations to be visited by the watchman may be placed in connection with a transmitter adapted to transmit a signal over a circuit running to a main supervisors ottlce, such as that of a district telegraph company. Such switch is preferably constructed to be under the control only of the superintendent of the building where the watchman makes his rounds or of other person in authority and is so arranged under a cover orseal that the watchman can not observe the condition of the switch and may not, therefore, know whether the operation of the apparatus at his station is recorded upon the time-recorder or is sent to the main or supervisors office. By this apparatus the superintendent may change the circuits at the signal-station at any point on the watchmans rounds where it is desired that extra care should be exercised, and on a signal failing to come from said station at any time to the main or supervisors ofilice, as that of the district telegraph system, immediate steps may be taken to send a messenger to the place and the cause of the failure be ascertained.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated my invention diagrammatically as carried out in connection with one form of watchmans electrical time-recorder and with a particular form of transmitter for sending the signal to the district telegraph-office. The details of these devices may, however, be varied without departing from my invention, as may also the devices at the signal-station to be visited by the watchman and those at the central ofiice of the district telegraph system, since myinvention consists in the broad combinations of apparatus as hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a device typical of the devices used at each signal-station of the watchmans electrical timerecording system for sending a signal over a circuit 2 to a point where it is recorded on a suitable time disk or sheet. The device 1 is here illustrated as consisting of an ordinary push-button adapted to close the circuit 2 when operated by the watchman in his rounds. As shown, the button has its circhit-closing parts inclosed within a suitable box or casing, so as to be inaccessible to the watchman and make it impossible for him, should he be so disposed, to tamper with it.

Any desired number of stations may be provided, as will be understood in the art, said stations being located at points to be visited by the watchman in his rounds. Any other circuit-closing device or devices to be operated by the watchman might be employed in place of the device 1, as well understood in the art.

The time-recorder, which records the time when the watchman visits the stations, is here typified by the disk 3, carrying the time-recording sheet and driven by a clockwork, a part of the train of which is shown, and

an electromagnet 4, responsive to the signals on the circuit 2 and adapted to actuate a stylus or marker to bring it in contact with the time-recording sheet 3.

6 is the usual battery or other generator of electricity for the circuit 2.

At each box or station to be visited by the watchman I provide a suitable switch (indicated at 7) adapted to change the connection of the apparatus operated by the watchman from the circuit including the'time-recording apparatus to a circuit or branch of circuit 8, which runs to and includes theelectromagnet 9, of any suitable transmitter adapted to transmit a signal over a circuit 10, leading to the oflice of the district telegraph company or other supervising authority.

The switch 7 is here shown as of the ordinary two-point form, but might be of any other desired form or character. It is placed in a suitable inclosure under lock and key, so as to be free from interference by the Watchman. The superintendent of the building, who has access to said switches, may at his pleasure change the same, so that the signal apparatus operated by the watchman will act upon the magnet 9 instead of or in addition to the magnet 4:. He may make this change at any station'where he particularly desires that care should be exercised and may select any station at will for the purpose in part of testing the care with which the watchman performs his duties, the watchman not knowing on which instrument his signal will be recorded. Said switch may be of any desired character, as before stated.

The transmitter operated or controlled by the magnet 9 may be the ordinary districttelegraph box or other device run by a clockwork or suitable power, which is released by theaction of the magnet and which sends a signal of any desired character over the circuit 10. As typical of such device I have illustrated a circuit make and break wheel 12 and a part of the train-wheelwork for operating the same,and a detent-lever13,adapted to free the train by disengaging a pin 14 on a wheel of the train, said detent-lever 13 being actuated by the armature of the electromagnet 9 in the obvious and Well-known way.

The apparatus at the oflice of the district telegraph company consists of a signal-receiving device of the usual or any proper description. The one here shown comprises the usual main-line relay 15 and the local-circuit apparatus, consisting of the bell-magnet 16 and the recorder-magnet 17.

It will be obvious that my invention permits of many changes in the details or elements making up the system; I do not limit myself to any particular kind of switch 7 nor to organizing the same so that the time-recording magnet 4 will be switched out when the magnet 9 is switched in, the essence of my invention consisting in providing the magnet 9 with suitable means whereby the signal apparatus at the signal-stations Visited by the watchman may at the will of the superintendent be placed in connection with said apparatus, so that the operation of the device at the signal-station will cause a signal to be sent to the main or supervisors oliice, con sisting of the district telegraph or other suitable main ofiice independent of that comprising the time-recording device.

I claim as my invention- 1 The combination with a watchmans timerecording system having a series of signal-stations each provided with circuit-closing devices to be operated by the watchman on his rounds, and recording apparatus having an operating or controlling magnet connected to the circuit of said devices, of a supervisory circuit containing signal-receiving apparatus, a signal-transmitter for said circuit, an electromagnet controlling the operation of the same, a circuit connecting said electromagnet with the watchmans signal-stations, and

suitable switches at said stations adapted to connect the circuit-closing devices at said stations with the circuit of said electromagnet.

2. The combination in an electrical watchmans time-recorder system,of signal-stations connected with a suitable time-recorder over an electric circuit embracing the premises to be guarded, an electric switch at each station controlling the connection of the apparatus to be operated by the watchman on his rounds and arranged to be inaccessible to the watchman, an independent signal-circuit, supervisory signal-receiving apparatus connected therewith, a transmitter on said circuit, a controlling-circuit leading from said signaltransmitter to the signalstations,and a switch at each station inaccessible to the watchman and operated to connect the apparatus operated by the watchman at said station with said controlling-circuit.

3. In a watchmans time-recorder and district or burglar alarm telegraph system, the combination of a series of signal-stations, a recording mechanism, an electrical circuit connecting each of said stations with said recording mechanism, an independent signalrecording mechanism, a signaltransmitter IIO therefor, a controlling-circuit connecting the latter with each of the signal-stations, a circuit-closer at each station operated by the watchman, and a switch at each station inaccessible to the watchman and operated to connect said circuit-closer with the controlling-circuit of said signal-transmitter.

Signed at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, this 30th day of November, A. D. 1900.

JAMES B. YEAKLE. 

